Good morning.
Morning.
Thank God for bringing us together this morning.
This is supposed to be a question-and-answer period. Every time this happens, I have to make some explanation. My explanation is this: we may ask questions, but God is the only One who is the answer. Nobody in this world can answer all your questions. God is the answer.
So, if you want to seek an answer, do not seek it from men. This is absolutely impossible. Men may explain something, but men cannot solve any problem. God is the only One who solves all our problems.
So, dear brothers and sisters, look to the Lord when you have a question. Now, it does not mean you cannot ask questions. It means that people may give you some help to remove some hindrances, but you have to look to the Lord for your real answer.
Now, we received many questions. Brother Dana had reduced them to ten categories, and I was given half of them. Dana will do the rest.
So I will read these questions first and then, by the grace of God, try to explain a little bit to help us look to the Lord for our answer.
Now, the first question is:
Those serving as elders desire to be in one accord in matters of the church life. There are times when an important issue ends up in deadlock because one brother seems to be stubbornly disagreeing with the others. We have discussed the matter and prayed for wisdom, but remain stuck, just circling around each time the matter comes up.
How do we proceed in true oneness before the assembly, respecting the brother with the opposing position, and still move forward under our Lord’s headship and direction?
Now, this is truly a difficult question. But thank God, He is the answer.
Now, it is very true, very real, that in our church life we do encounter such difficulties. The brothers in responsibility are supposed to wait for one another until they come to agreement before any action should be taken. Now, that is the principle.
But it is also true that in a number of places, you will find one brother so obstinate that he insists upon his own opinion, and he fails to agree with the other brothers. Now, how do you solve this problem?
On the one hand, we need to be patient. I believe, in spiritual matters, patience is very important. God never does anything in a hurry, and He wants us to be very careful and patient. But patience has its limit.
Now, when a brother continues to do that, as a matter of fact, he will delay the progress of the church. So, how will you solve this problem? Think about it.
Of course, I believe when you have this difficulty among the responsible brothers, you would not just neglect that brother who opposes. But you will be patient, and you who are in responsibility will continue to pray and ask the Lord to bring you into one mind.
Because it is a principle that in huge matters, the responsible brothers will not come to any decision until there is absolute agreement among them. Now, how do you reconcile such a situation?
On the one hand, I would say that we need to be patient. We cannot just go ahead and neglect that brother. But, on the other hand, I think all who are in responsibility should learn to give up themselves and allow the will of God to get through.
So, when a problem arises, we all need to go to the Lord and seek His mind. No one is to be in charge or to take the place of our Lord Jesus. He is the Lord of His own house, and you are but servants, serving the Lord’s purpose.
So, with this in mind, all who are in responsibility need to be humble enough to know that they are not the head of the church. The head of the church is Christ. They are just the neck.
Through the neck, the mind of the body can get through to the Head, and the mind of the Head can get through to the body. You are but the channel of God; you are not God Himself. So all those in church responsibility need to remember this.
Now, it is always a danger when you are put in responsibility too long. You will begin to feel that you have the responsibility. No matter how long the Lord may place you in responsibility, you are under the headship of Christ. You are but the neck.
You are the channel through which the feeling of the body may get through to the Head, and then you will be the channel to tell the body what the Head decides. You are not the decision. Christ the Head is the decision, but you are the channel.
Now, brothers and sisters, I am not trying to belittle the responsible brothers, because the neck is very important. Without a neck, how can the feeling of the body come to the Head? And how can the decision of the Head come to the body? It is through the neck. That is what the responsible brothers are.
So I think this is a very important thing to remember. Sometimes, when you have been a responsible brother too long, you begin to forget that you are the neck. You think you are the head. Therefore, you try to decide things on your own, and that would be great damage to the body.
So, first of all, I would say that those in responsibility have to realize who they are in the body of Christ. They are not the Head. They will never be the Head. They are just the neck.
But I am not belittling the responsible brothers, because the neck is important. Without the neck, the connection between the body and the Head is broken.
So the responsible brothers are very important in the church of God. On the one hand, they are to allow the feeling of the body to get through them to the Head. On the other hand, they ought to allow the decision of the Head to go through them to the body. This is the function of the responsible brothers.
Again, I say, the danger is that if you are a responsible brother too long, you have the tendency to forget, and you think that you are the head of the church. When that should happen, it brings havoc to the body.
So, when there are different opinions among the responsible brothers, what do you do? Of course, you all go to the Lord and pray, asking the Lord to remove your own opinion and allow the Lord’s mind to be known. That is what the responsible brothers should do.
But in case one of you is so stubborn that, whatever question comes up, his opinion stands unchanged, now, when these things should happen, what will you do?
I think the only thing you can do is this: if this should happen all the time, it delays the growth of the body, and all you can do is look to the Lord to remove that brother.
I remember an incident I was told. In the early stage of the work at Honor Oak in London, they had a principle that they must agree before they moved. But unfortunately, there was a brother who always stood for his own opinion and would not give in. They did not know what to do.
Now, that is what I was told. Brother Lance told me that he told this problem to Lady Hugo. Lady Hugo was a titled lady, but the Lord laid hold of her. She was the one who supported Brother Sparks. She bought the place for the meeting, and she paid everything when they had the Switzerland conference year after year.
But she was a lady who was so absolute to the Lord. And Lance told me that when she was told of this situation, he was praying with Lady Hugo. He had never heard such a prayer. This lady prayed before the Lord, “Remove this brother.”
And sure enough, within a week, the brother died.
So, brothers and sisters, I am using this as an illustration: if we insist on having our own will and prevent the progress of the church, it is a serious crime, and the discipline of the Holy Spirit may come upon you.
So it is a warning to all those in responsibility. Not because you have been in responsibility so long should you begin to think that you are responsible. Now, that is always a problem.
So I want to say this to the responsible brothers: no matter how long you have been a responsible brother, you are not the Head. You are but the neck. Remember this.
But I am not belittling the neck, because the neck is so important. Without the neck, how can the feeling of the body go to the Head? And how can the mind of the Head come to the body?
So I would say, if such a case should continue without change, the only way is to pray to God to remove that brother. Now, I think this is very serious.
The next question:
We observe that there is a difference between what we see and hear in our conferences and what we practice in our fellowship. Messages on shepherding by Brother [unclear] reveal the spiritual reality that every member is a shepherd and that God desires those who serve to function by the grace of God, and not focus upon position.
But at home, our brothers seem to be holding on to a position and serve as men above the rest. We know that our brothers began with a real heart to serve, and many have paid a real price of sacrifice for the Lord’s sake. But over the years, they have become separate from the saints, sometimes making decisions without fellowship or even deep prayer.
As a young brother, I do not know how to function responsibly with these older ones, but at the same time, I do not want to disrespect or act independently from them. Right now, the brothers are not shepherding very much, and real and serious problems are among us that are not being addressed. Help us.
Now, what will you do when you are in such a situation? On the one hand, all the brothers and sisters in the assembly should have respect for the responsible brothers. Yet, on the other hand, they are not God. They only represent God.
So, as a young brother, I would say you will try to obey their decision as much as you can. Do not rise up in rebellion. That is a wrong attitude.
You will do whatever you have been told, but only as far as the Spirit in you allows you. We cannot develop a rebellious spirit. That is the wrong thing.
Thank God for such an adverse situation, because God is training us not to be rebellious. I think it is but natural for us to be rebellious, and we have to be before the Lord and learn to be obedient as far as we can.
But, of course, we cannot go beyond our conscience. If your conscience does not allow you, you can only go that far. But, on the other hand, you do not develop a rebellious spirit.
Now, this is easy to say, but it is very hard when it really comes to you.
However, you have a responsibility, and your responsibility is to pray for the responsible brothers. Feel that the Lord will change their mind, that God will not allow them to arbitrarily decide things, believing that God will hear your prayer.
And if this does not happen, then what? I would say the only thing is that you pray that, if it is not the Lord’s mind, God would change those who are in responsibility.
So, to be in responsibility does not mean that because once you were put in responsibility, you are a responsible brother forever. Not so.
Suppose you do not grow spiritually, and other brothers have grown ahead of you. Then what would you do? I think the best thing to do is that you should know how to resign and give place to those who are spiritually ahead of you.
Now, this is easy to say, but very difficult to practice. However, I would say, if you are spiritual enough, that is what you should do.
I remember when I first came to New York. There was a small meeting there, and a few brothers were in responsibility. Among them was a Chinese medical doctor. As a matter of fact, a number of meetings were held in his home.
But when his practice became so busy, he had no time. When the responsible brothers met together to discuss the matters of the church, he was not there. They had to go to him and tell him what they had decided every time. This happened for some time.
Until that brother realized the case, so he resigned. Some meetings were still in his home, but he resigned as a responsible brother, and he supported the other responsible brothers. I think this is the right attitude.
So, when a responsible brother finds himself not growing in the Lord, and too much occupied with other things, he should look to the Lord to see whether there are others who have grown ahead of him. He should himself step down and let the others go ahead. That would be the right attitude.
Again, I say, it is easy to say but hard to practice, because once you become a responsible brother, it is hard for you to give up that position.
Blessed is the brother who puts the Lord’s interest first and will never allow his own position to be a problem to the church.
The next question:
Our fellowship is growing, and we are thankful that the growth is not only in number but in spirit. However, our elders are totally taken up with jobs, families, and even constant traveling, so that we always seem to be behind in dealing with important matters. How can we learn to lead spiritually and effectually with the little time we have?
Often, it is a real test for brothers just to all gather together. Does the Lord have a purpose that could be planned ahead? Or do we have to just go ahead week to week with no clear direction? We have young people who need counsel and families that have marriage challenges, but how can we care for them? Many are growing weary.
When the responsible brothers are so busy—busy with their families, busy with their travels, busy with other things—and the local church seems to come to a stop, when that should happen, what do you do?
I believe it is time that new responsible brothers ought to be raised up. Probably this is a time that the old responsible brothers should resign, so that the new generation may have a chance to move ahead.
Now, I do not know if you agree with me or not, but to me this seems to be the only solution. Because if those in responsibility are not really responsible, and the church is left without being rightly governed, what will be the result? You find people will leave.
Let me use this illustration. In England, at Honor Oak, there were four brothers in responsibility.
When I first visited them, I was surprised to find there was a hierarchy. Brother Sparks, of course, was number one. After him was Mr. Taylor, and after him another brother, and after him another brother.
When Mr. Sparks was in London, he was in charge of everything. When he traveled, Mr. Taylor became in charge. And if Mr. Taylor was traveling, the third one began to be in charge. There was such a hierarchy in London.
And even when we visitors came, we were given seats all aside. Everything was in such order.
Now, how do you feel? The young people began to leave. Those whom they had helped and raised up, they left.
Brother Sparks talked to me. He complained about the situation. I said, “Brother, that is a good sign. That shows that they have grown up. You have done your job. They have grown up spiritually. They want to have some responsibility in the church, but you brothers stood there and gave them no responsibility. Naturally, they left.”
So it was success, not failure. But unfortunately, it was a painful success. These brothers had been trained and brought up, but they were not given any responsibility. The older ones continued to hold all the responsibility. No wonder, one after another, they left.
After they left, they became leading brothers in other groups. That happened in London, and that even happened in New York.
Now, brothers and sisters, what lessons should we learn from this? A responsible brother is not forever.
If the Lord should bless you and use you to bring up younger brothers, as they begin to grow, they should be given responsibility.
It is easy to say, but you may have been a responsible brother for years. When you see younger brothers growing up—brothers whom you helped to grow up—you voluntarily allow them to take your place. That is a blessing, you see.
And that is the one thing that we should do.
How do we work together as elders with full-time workers? We recognize and appreciate the ministry of those brothers the Lord has raised up to minister the Word and travel. We do not want to have a pastor system in our church, but everyone seems to look to the worker when problems come up, and sometimes the elders do not really seem to be the ones governing.
Then, when our worker is traveling, a lot of solutions come up that get put on hold until he returns. How can we work together as elders and workers? Are we elders just to assist one brother in leadership, or are we really one? Do we have the authority to correct one another, or even have input into our brother’s traveling schedule? We desire the Lord to be our Head in all of this, and only pray He may get glory in the church.
Now, again I say, a worker may be used of the Lord to begin a church. But after the church is established and the elders are appointed, he is no longer in charge of that local church.
If he stays there, he is a brother in the local assembly. He should submit himself to the responsible brothers and whatever decision may be made. That is the attitude we should take.
Now, as workers, I know it is very hard for us to act as a brother in the church. I remember a brother who was a worker. He came, and I told him, “Brother, now you are in New York. You are one of the brothers in New York, and you have to learn to be a brother here.”
When the Lord sends you out, you are a worker. But when you come home and stay, you are a brother.
But it is very hard. He could not take it.
Brothers and sisters, that is the problem with workers. They think they are everything, but they are not.
If you are a worker and happen to have your home in a certain place, when you come back, you come back as a brother, not as a worker. You learn to obey whatever the responsible brothers decide.
You may pray for them. You may continue to advise them. But you are not to neglect them.
So, when a worker is in his home locality, he is just a brother, and he must learn to be a brother. But try to pray and help those in responsibility, that they may do the Lord’s work.
Now, that is the right attitude to take. I think I have said enough.